Replaceable fuse plug



8-' 1939- 0. G. VANDERVEER REPLACEABLE FUSE PLUG Filed Aug. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2-

INVENTOR ORA G- VANDEFIVEER BY 7 fiV-Z'MQ ATI'ORNEY Fig. 1

Aug. 22, 1939 o. G. VANDERVEER 2,170,158

REPLACEABLE FUSE PLUG Filed Aug. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 6 44 Fly. 7

INVENTOR ORA G. VANDERVEER ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics REPLACEABLE FUSE PLUG Ora G. Vanderveer, Kansas City, Application August 28, 1937, Serial No. 161,422

My invention relates particularly to a fuse fusible element. a

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a fuse mentioned character that is construction and which is easy to assemble, and which has a fusible element that can be easily removed after the fuse has blown and readily replaced.

More particularly my fuse plug having an insulating body portion that to fuse plugs, and; more plug having a replaceable her on the insulating body portion.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a fuse plug of the above mentioned character, in which a transparent cap, or cover portion,

the condition thereof, that is, whether the fuse has been blown or is intact. members are discolored or Such glass cover burnt by the flame ment into contact with the yielding contact members mounted in suitable passages in, the body portion of the fuse plug, Said means, preferably, comprises an insulating member that is of a tubular character, or has a longitudinal passage therethrou'gh, which is located between the cap portion and the fusible element, and through the opening in which the fusible element can be viewed by looking through said transparent cap portion, said member also acting to hold the fuse element in contact with said yielding contact members after the same has been put in position between fusible element being so mounted Claims. (Cl. MW-1%) the cap member and the body portion and within the recess provided therefor in the body portion and said cap member has been secured to said body portion.

It is another important feature of my invention 5 to provide a fuse plug of the above mentioned character, in which the fusible element is entirely enclosed within the fuse plug, that is, housed between the body portion and the cap portion, the

that the same 16 will be spaced from the base portion and the cap portion at the point where the flame usually will occur when the fusible-element fuses, or the fuse is blown.

It is a particularly important purpose of my invention to provide a fuse plug of the above mentioned character that is so constructed that the fusible element can be merely dropped into the same and will seat itself in proper position to he acted on by the member that bends the same into 20 its operative shape and into contact with the yielding, or resilient, contact members, and in which said member that shapes the fuse into its proper form to engage with the yielding contact members is so constructed that the same will automatically position itself properly relative to the fusible element, so that upon pushing of the same toward the body portion, the fusible elemom; will be bent at its ends into contact engaging position, said insulating member engaging the fusible element being so constructed and arranged that the same will be held in its final position, with the fusible element in firm contact with the yielding contact members, by means of the cap member when the cap member is in engagement with the body portion.

It is another purpose of my invention to provide a fuse plug of the above mentioned character, which, after removal of the cap portion and contact bending member, is adapted to provide for the easy removal of the fusible element by merely shaking the same out of its position in. the fuse Plug.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved fuse plug, slightly en1arge'd.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, which is takenon al'ine corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Fig. 6.

' substantially on Fig. 3 is an end view of the plug at the cap end thereof.

Fig.4 is a section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, the filament shaping member being omitted.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the filament shaping member.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is an end elevation of the plug as viewed from the socket engaging end thereof, partly broken away.

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly broken away, of the body portion and cap portion of the fuse plug, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, but with the cap portion omitted and the fuse element shaping member shown-in the position it assumes prior to the bending of the fuse, but after having been placed in contact with the fuse element. I

Referring in detail to the drawings, my im proved fuse plug having a replaceable fusible element, comprises a body portion H of insulating material, which is provided with a central projection l2 at one end thereof and with a large recess l3 in the other end thereof. The body portion is provided with a somewhat flared wall at H at the end thereof opposite that having the projection l2. A pair of longitudinal passages l5 of a slot-like character through the end of the body portion adjacent the projection l2. A contact member l6 having a recurved, or hook-like, end portion l1 thereon extends into one of the passages l5 and substantially, through the same, said contact member l6 having an end portion l8 overlying the end of the projection l2 and secured thereto by means of a rivet l9, which is embedded in the material of the projection l2 and is headed over by expanding the same, as indicated at 20, to secure said contact member to the end portion of said central projection l2, said portion l3 of the contact member thus forming the center contact of the screw plug type of fuse plug that is illustrated.

A contact member 2| is mounted in the other passage l5, said contact member 2| having an arcuate portion 22 that overlies the end portion of the main body portion is spaced from the center contact I! and has end enlargements 23, through which the rivets l8 extend, the same being headed by expansion thereof at 20 in the manner previously described, and being embedded in the body portion ll of the fuse plug. The arcuate portion 22 of the contact member 2| overlies a flange 24 on the screw shell 25, said screw shell snugly fitting the smooth or unthreaded cylindrical outer surface of the body portion I I, being adapted to he slid into place with the flange 24 in engagement with the end wall of the body portion II and held from movement away from he body portion by the arcuate portion 22 of the contact 2| and rivets IS. The member I2 is grooved at 55 to permit the enlargements 23 on the portion 22 and the enlargements 56 on the flange 24 to be slid into position, said enlargements 56 cooperating with the grooves 55' to hold the screw shell 25 against turning on said .body portion H.

Said contact 2| is provided with a recurved, or

hook-like, end'portion l1, made identically the same as is the hook-like end portion of the contact IS. The contact members ii and 2| are aligned grooves are provided, extending H of the fuse plug, but i .and a pair of flat walls 31.

connecting portion bebers are easily put in position by merely pushing the same through the passages l5 and securing the rivets IS in position in the manner shown. The rivets can be either molded in the body portion, or in any other manner secured therein, and if molded therein, will, of course. form tubular projections on the body portion, which are merely expanded "or headed over after the screw shell and contacts are put in place to secure said parts in proper position.

The recess I3 is provided with a projecting portion 26, which is of substantially an annular character, as will be evident from Fig. 8, having a central opening 21 therein, said projection and said central opening being located substantially concentrically about the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the plug. The recess i3 flares, or enlarges, in its dimensions toward the open end thereof and comprises a pair of transversely concave longitudnally flaring wall portions 28, and a pair of substantially transversely straight longitudinally flaring wall portions 29, which extend from the end edge portion of the body portion H at the open end thereof to the bottom of the groove 30 surrounding theprojection 26. The projection 26 also has a pair of transversely 3| therein that extend radially from the axis of the plug, said grooves being adapted to. receive a fusible element 32, said fusible element, preferably, having a reduced central portion 33 of such cross section as to give the proper capacity to the fuse, so that it will blow or ignite at the said narrow portion 33 when current in excess of the amount for which the fuse is designed, passes through the circuit in which the fuse is located. In Fig. 4 the fuse is shown in position in the grooves 3| and resting on the annular member 28. The slot-like passages l5, it will be noted, are located below the fuse and the spring contacts are in position ready to be engaged by the fusible element.

In Fig. 10 thesame position of the fusible ele- I ment is shown as that shown in Fig. 4, but the element of insulating material used for bending the fusible element into position in engagement with the contacts l1, provided on the end of the contact members l3 and 2|, is shown resting thereon. The insulating member for bending the fusible element into its operative position in engagement with the'contact members that con-" nect the same in the circuit, is shown removed from the fuse plug in Fig. 5. It comprises a tubular body portion 34, which has a small end 35.that is provided with a ring-like annular enlargement thereon, so that the same can be readily engaged by the fingers, and a larger end, which has a pair of concavo-convex walls 36 The bodyportion having a flaring curved tween the ringlike bead portion. 35 at one end thereof and the enlarged end having the concave outer walls and flat outer walls, above referred to. The concave-convex walls 36 correspond substantially in external-contour to the curvature of the concave walls 28 and the flat walls 3! are of such shape that the same will 2,170,168 passages l5. Also the length of the outer surfaces of the walls 31 is such that these will fit between the bottom portions of the curved walls 28 without wedging therebetween.

It will accordingly be seen that, due to the shape of the walls of the recess E3, the fusible element 32, if dropped into the recess l3, will drop onto the central annular projection 26 extending into said recess, and due to the relative size of said annular projection 26 and the wall portions 29 near the bottoms thereof, said fusible element cannot fall off the annular projection 25, and with a. little shaking of the body portion, the fusible element 32 will seat itself in the recesses 3!. It will also be noted that the member 34 can be dropped into the recess I3 and will guide itself into the position shown in Fig. 10, due to the shape thereof and the shape of the walls of said recess 13. It will also be evident that if the finger of the operator of the device is pushed against the end portion of the member 34 having the bead 35, the same can be utilized as a tool to bend the fusible element from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that shown in Fig. 2, with the end portions 4i of the fusible element bent into the position shown in Fig. 2, between the inner faces of the flat wall portions 37 and the outer sides of the hook-like, or recurved, contacts ii on the contact members l6 and 2f.

The body portion His provided with a transparent cap member 42, which is detachably connected therewith by a suitable quick acting interlocking connection, which also tightly wedges the closure member in position on the body portion. The member 42 is, preferably, made of glass and has a slightly recessed central portion 43 that is provided with a convex surface 44, serving as a lens to enlarge the fusible element as viewed through the central passage, or opening, 45- in the member 35. An annular shoulder 46 is provided on the body portion it near the open end thereof, and a plurality of curved interrupted flanges 47, having inclined faces 48 are also provided on said body portion, said flanges 4? cooperating with inwardly directed lugs 49 on the depending flange 5d of said cap portion 42', so that said cap portion may be placed in position on the body portion I i with the interrupted flanges 41 out of alignment with the lugs 49, and then turned to force the cap member 42 down tightly on the body portion Ii. The placing of the cap member 42 in position can be utilized to force the insulating member 34 downwardly into engagement with the fusible element 32 to bend it into the position shown in Fig. 2, and, of course, said member 34, after the cap 42 is interlocked with the body portion, will hold the member 34 in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the fusible element in engagement with the contacts IT. A roughened or knurled portion 5| is, preferably, provided on the outer side of .the flange 50 to fa- :ilitate turning thereof.

It will be noted that an air space is provided around the fusible element at the reducedportion 33 thereof, so that there will be no contact of the fusible element with any portion of the mounting therefor at the place where the fuse will blow when the current passing through the same exceeds the amount for which the fuse is designed. However, a flare of flame may strike the inner face of ber 42 and discolor the same and thus make it diflicult to see through the same to inspect the the glass cover or cap memfuse to determine the condition of the fusible element 32. In order to prevent this, a sheet of transparent material 53 is provided, which is located between the smaller end of the member 34 and the inner face of the cap 42, said sheet of material 53 being of a non-combustible character, such as mica, for example, and, preferably, a plurality of such sheets 53 of mica being furnished with a predetermined number of fuse elements, in order that a discolored mica sheet 53 may be replaced readily with a clear one, should it have become discolored by the blowing of a fuse. The mica sheet 53 is merely laid in position on the end of the member 34 before the cap is put in position, and will, of course, be firmly held in position between the cap member and the member 34 after the parts are inthe assembled position shown in Fig. 2.

What I claim is:

i. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion, H

a cap portion, means fordetachably connecting said portions, contacts mounted in said body portion, a straight, strip-like,- ductile, fusible element, and a removable die member mounted between said cap and body portions for bending said striplike element'out of normal shape into contact engaging position and holding said element in such position.

2. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion, a cap portion, means for detachably connecting said portions, contacts mounted in said body portion, a ductile fusible element, said body portion having a seat for said fusible element, and a member of insulating material detachably mounted between said cap and body portions and having die means thereon cooperating with said seat to bend the ends of said fusible element into contact engaging position and holding said element in such position.

3. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion having a recess therein, a cap portion, means for detachably connecting said portions, contacts mounted in said body portion, a strip-like fusible element, said body portion having a seat receiving said strip-like element in said recess and having converging wall portions for guiding said striplike element into engagement with said seat upon the same being dropped into said recess, and a. member of insulating material detachably mounted between said cap and body portions and having means thereon engaging said strip-like element to bend the same around said seat into contact engaging position and holding said element in such position.

4. In a fuse plug, a recessed insulating body portion, a cap portion, means for detachably connecting said cap and body portions, yielding contacts mounted in said body portion, a fusible element, said body portion having a recess therein having a projecting seat for said fusible element adjacent said contacts, and a member of insulating material detachably mounted in the recess in said body portion and having means thereon engaging said fusible element and embracing said seat to bend said fusible element into engagement with said contacts, said body portion having means for guiding said fusible element into position on said seat and for guiding said member of insulating material into embracing relation to said seat and into a predetermined Position relative to the fusible element on said seat, said cap portion engaging said member of insulating material to hold said insulating member in engagement with said fusible element and said fusible element in engagement with said contacts.

5. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion, a,

cap portion, means for detachably connecting said portions, contacts mounted in said body portion, a fusible element, said body portion being recessed and having a projecting seat for said fusible element in said recess, and a tubular member of insulating material detachably mounted between said cap and body portions and having means thereon for bending said fusible element into contact engaging position and embracing said seat at one end thereof to hold said element in such position, said fusible element being completely housed within said plug by said projecting seat of said cap and body portions and confined between said body portion and the end of said member of insulating-material embracing said seat. I

6. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion, a glass cap portion embracing one end of said body portion, means for detachably connecting said portions, contacts mounted in said body portion, a strip-like fusible element, a tubular member mounted between said cap and body portions for bending said strip-like element into contact engaging position and holding said element in such position, and a mica shield between said glass cap portion and said tubular member.

7. In a fuse plug, a recessed insulating body portion, a transparent cap portion, means for detachably connecting said cap and body portions, yielding contacts mounted in said body portion, a fusible element, and a tubular member of insulating material detachably mounted in the recess in said body portion and having means there on engaging said fusible element to bend said fusible element into engagement with said contacts, said cap portion engaging said member of insulating material to hold said insulating member in engagement with said fusible element and said fusible element in engagement with said contacts.

8. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion, a cap portion, means for detachably connecting said portions, contacts mounted in said body portion,

. a strip-like fusible element and means mounted upon detachment of said cap portion and removal of said means from said body portion.

9. In a fuse plug, a recessed insulating body portion, a glass cap portion, means for detachably connecting said cap and body portions, yielding contacts mounted in said body portion, a fusible element, a tubular member of insulating material detachably mounted in the recess in said body portion and having means thereon engaging said fusible element to bend said fusible element into engagement with said contacts, said cap portion engaging said member of insulating material to hold said insulating member in engagement with said fusible element and said fusible element in engagement with said contacts, and a mica shield between said glass cap portion and said fusible element.

10. In a fuse plug, an insulating body portion, a cap portion, means for detachably connecting said portions, said body portion having a pair of longitudinal passages therein, contacts mounted in said passages having U shaped end portions, a screw shell carried by one of said contacts engageable with said body portion by relative longitudinal sliding movement, a center contact carried by the other of saidcontacts, expansible rivets securing said screw shell and center contact to said body portion, a fusible element, and means mounted between said cap and body portions for bending said fusible element into engagement-with the U-shaped ends of said contacts and holding said element in such position.

ORA G. VANDERVEER. 

